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Saturday, 26 March 2011

Graham Power QPM Interview Part 3 (of 3)

In the final interview (of this series) with Former Jersey Chief Police Officer, Graham Power QPM, Mr. Power discusses the role of Home Affairs Minister and what he believes it should be. He also discusses the role of Jersey’s Media - that is the “discredited” media and Bloggers.

Although it’s not a view that Mr. Power necessarily shares, it is the opinion of Team Voice, that Jersey’s mainstream (“discredited”) media ARE lapdogs to our establishment and are creating a very distorted historical record of the Child Abuse, the Child Abuse Investigation and the subsequent “dubious” suspension of Mr. Power himself.

We are proud of the part we are able to play in bringing some balance to the reporting of our mainstream media and are able to provide the public, and the history books, with these in-depth interviews with the key figures in this dark period of Jersey’s history. Although we still maintain that we shouldn’t have to be doing it but are left with no choice due to the lack of any meaningful "journalism" in Jersey.

That said we are unable to bring you any in-depth interviews with the Home Affairs Minister, Senator Ian Le Marquand, as he won’t even acknowledge receipt of our e-mails let alone answer any questions in them………and so history shall record.

Part one of this interview with Mr. Power can be viewed HERE and part 2 can be viewed HERE.

40 comments:

Thanks VFC for the videos and thanks Mr Power for giving the interview.

I watched this on the back of listening to some of the bbc interview with ILM and RLeH via the jersey way. Isn't it easy to tell the difference between a person who is telling it like it is, is not feeling the need to skate over the subject as opposed to someone who does. In my opinion ILM is totally unconvincing in his interview to the point where I dont think he even believes what he is spouting himself. Just makes me wonder who is pulling his strings and for me it all comes down to that comment I read spoken by the AG or someone similar along the lines of "This could bring down the government".

You cannot disguise that there is a cover up going on in one form or another with comments like that.

Why haven't the local media pulled Senator Le Marquand over the coals for what he's done? This is why jersey is lawless, all busy hanging at the right parties, its a joke. What have you got lined up next VFC

"Why haven't the local media pulled Senator Le Marquand over the coals for what he's done? "

My opinion is clear, I believe our local media are nothing more than lapdogs for spreading the government's propaganda. It's inconceivable to believe that supposedly trained "journalists" could be that useless. That said I do believe there are one or two decent local journalists but probably don't have the editorial control they would like.

What have we got lined up next? More interviews with people across the world that haven't had the opportunity, or willing, to speak to the "discredited" media.

It seems to me that the starkest difference between Graham Power and ILM/Chief Minister is that GP is prepared to openly admit that there has always been, and will always be room for improvement - whilst ILM & Co. simply insist on evading the issue and heaping blame onto GP and Lenny H.I guess this can be summed up as the difference between a true professional on the one hand and a politician on the other.It also appears that GP is prepared to listen to arguments which conflict with his own views. This is the sign of a mature individual who is only too well aware of his own fallibility - in other words, an ordinary human being! On the other hand, our Ministers and other politicians, in the true spirit of such beings, cannot admit failure or even genuine mistakes.It was encouraging to hear GP saying that he is not going to give up on this issue. I wait to see how he will put this sentiment into practice.Quite apart from the injustice done to GP and LH, the real injustice here is the harm done to the abuse victims by the covering up of the causes of abuse and the protection of some of those who were involved. I think the term used by GP was to the effect that people who are still in positions of influence were involved. I have no reason to believe that GP is not telling the truth here. Whether or not there would be sufficient evidence to pursue these individuals through a criminal court is almost irrelevant. If people in positions of responsibility abused their authority then the standard of proof to deal with them should be lower than "beyond reasonable doubt". After all, the evidence against Mr Power at the time of his suspension clearly did not even meet the civil standard of a "balance of probabilities".Please keep up the good work!

I too am curious as to how far Graham Power is going to pursue justice out of this ongoing saga.He appears to be very dissatisfied with the Wiltshire report to the point where, i would have thought, that he should be taking to task the alledgedly incompetent individual who wrote the thing.Seems to me that if he were to challenge it with The Police Authority that they would find in his favour.So,has Graham Power done anything along these lines?

Excellent account from the man on the ground! In his interview Mr Power brings out two very important factors... (a) that people in high places appeared to be being protected and (b) that there remains an inability to identify those who pull the strings of Jersey's most senior politicians and civil servants? But just like the diversionary tactics used in "talking about the enquiry" as opposed to "talking about the abuse", the 'Men in Black' continue to protect their own identity by using the islands most senior politicians and civil servants as the focal point of any right or wrong decision making process.

I wonder if Mr Power has any idea of the effect watching videos like this has on victims of institutional child abuse? I am sure I can speak for other abuse victims, by saying that it is a great comfort to listen to what he has said in these videos. It is very frightening to be abused by the state, and then reabused by the people in authority turning a blind eye to the abuse, even to the poinbt of persecuting the victim. It is wonderful to hear such a senior policeman speaking out like this. it's helping people, it is breaking the chain of abuse. Thank you Mr Power. xx

These interviews are very interesting not least because the ex-chief officer looks more like somebody who has just emerged from the cells at police HQ.In other words, the trappings of office and the status of the smart uniform are not there to give him any false sense of authority.The technical limitations of the process also add to the somewhat tatty image.This is refreshing in our world where PR image and spin are so dominating and of course this is one of the root problems in the handling of the whole HDLG tragedy.The Jersey establishment has desperately tried to maintain the facade of respectability.So congrats for presenting these recordings at all - but especially in this format.On the other hand we must not overlook that if the establishment had not fallen out with Mr Power he would presumably have continued to appear elsewhere in his smart uniform - not on this blog - and supporting the establishment party line.So, if there is something lacking in these useful interviews it is that Mr Power's policing role is not really examined in any depth. He has refreshingly alluded to the interference by politicians etc but we don't actually learn much about his own behaviour generally.Beyond HDLG, how did Mr Power police himself - does he have any regrets about the way he conducted himself re "Operation Blast" or other important cases or tactical policies that he might have initiated?

We have observed in the UK several instances where very senior police officers have fallen out with their colleagues or even their governing "police authorities" - so there is no instant cure to be had here for Jersey. There are even some notable instances where the most senior officers have been jailed or sacked. What has happened to Mr Power is extraordinary but in the world of policing is not unique. Of course it is just a local manifestation of the "power" struggle that seems to go on the world over where people are given authority over fellow citizens. We have only to look at our TV screens to see how police everywhre so often get it wrong.

In this instance - and we may not get another opportunity for many years - we can learn a great deal about policing in Jersey and the sort of behaviour we can expect for the future.

This site is primariy focussed on issues arising from HDLG, as are several others. Ian Evans seems to take a more critical look at policing generally and this is to be welcomed but I cannot imagine that Mr Power would have granted him such an interview facility.

I do not know what Mr Power, or Mr Harper or any other retired Jersey officers might propose to do in the future but those in office won't speak out. We can already hear on this interview how the instinctive police response is to praise the new incumbent Jersey chief officer and I suppose we must all hope that he is able to initiate reforms that will be of general benefit to the population of the Island and beyond. Realistically, however we must realise that Jersey will not be pursuing international fraudsters and wealth plunderers with any greater enthusiasm anymore than we shall be promoting a more liberal attitude towards smoking pot.

Mr Power appears, on this blog, to have changed his spots with his shiny buttons but I hope that there will be other opportunities to examine with him, the nature of policing in the past and present time. Also, whether he has modified his own views built up during a long career and at the senior level.

Oh Mr Power - how very right you are. There are many, many stones that have been left unturned, many, many answers that abuse survivors want and deserve, many, many people who will never be unconvinced that there was not a massive cover-up, and many, many people who are well aware that you, Lenny and Stuart have been 'shafted internationally'.

"So, if there is something lacking in these useful interviews it is that Mr Power's policing role is not really examined in any depth. "

I'm interested in what went so wrong with the States of Jersey care system, that is why Graham is where he is today, that is the public interest matter. What happened to the abuse inquiry, what happened to the evidence etc..., as for Graham's policing role, I think his 62,000 word defence might suffice!!

No matter what Mr. Power thinks now, or may have ever thought about the establishment in relation to Jersey police work in general, the point is there has been a simply devastating diversion by the island establishment to shift focus onto the police instead of the actual abuse issue.

That is partly why there are still far more questions than answers about the decades of violent crimes committed against children which were allowed to continue and were covered up. The actual HDLG investigation is still far from complete. Mr. Power more eloquently made this very point himself.

From what both Mr. Harper and Mr. Power have said regarding their original investigation, they became aware of influential abuse perpetrators remaining in positions of power and their investigation continued in secret to avoid potential government interference in the inquiry. It seems quite clear that Mr. Power and Mr. Harper were treated disgracefully by the establishment and local msm for their determined opposition to unethical levels of political pressure.

Whatever one may think about any particular police administration or politics, the fact is we all aid the Jersey abuse cover-up merchants when we maintain this absurdly speculative focus on the abuse investigators themselves. That misplaced priority allows authorities in Jersey to keep everyone else running an end run around the profoundly disturbing and still unexplained forensic evidence, the connections between institutionalized child sexual abuse and the various authorities, and the suspiciously high number of living criminal child rape suspects who were not charged.

Of course, it is important for all societies to evaluate their policing authorities and openly examine investigative techniques and even political bias, but in the case of Mr. Harper and Mr. Power that has surely been done to death, at an untold cost, but to the exclusion of examining the utterly horrific crimes against large numbers of children.

The establishment would not easily get away with such crimes if there was continued refocus on all the still unanswered questions regarding evidence of state sponsored paedophilia.

Thanks Ian for that link with Robert.He mentions Stuarts inability to get Legal AidIf there is one thing that Stuart appears to not like,its innacuracies,except possibly,in spelling :). Stuart HAS been offered legal aid but has turned it down, feeling(I assume)that any local basedadvocate would not be sufficiently independant of the Jersey legal system. UK legal proffesionals are occasionally bought in to help in cases were a particular expertise is not available locally. Stuarts case is within the ability of the local legal proffesion. He has chosen to not accept the available legal aid and i am sure that he would confirm this,if asked.

HDLG and the associated child abuse issues is just one aspect of policing.There is no complaint if some people want to focus entirely and exclusively on child abuse in Jersey - the issue is certainly important enough - but it is not the only issue.I don't have the ability to declare that it is even the most important issue.The recent Privy Council "Warren" judgment certainly confirms that there has been something very seriously wrong with policing ethics in Jersey. It is no surprise that such corrupted officers might have failed to deal adequately with child abusers or that the Jersey government has responded inadequately in such cases.

Already touched upon by Mr Power is that there has been a similar neglect in Jersey to actively investigate or police the international finance business.

Other blog sites and organisations will show that the harm done to children world-wide as a direct result of wealth being chanelled from poor countries through Jersey et al is enormous and on-going.Other sites and groups focus on the environmental harm that arises internationally from hiding business activities through tax havens like Jersey.I don't presume to declare which is the most important for the world - but I can only make the decision to address the issues that concern me and in accordance with my own abilities.

Of course, individuals have only so much energy and the resources to fight so many issues and a personal involvement will tend to focus the critical attention.

This particular blog is very narrowly focussed on issues arising from HDLG but it still only manages to deal with some aspects of the whole abuse-cover-up problem.

It seems very sad that this opportunity to expose the whole Jersey system to examination might be resisted because of a too narrow agenda.

The revalations of Mr Power and Mr Harper are a unique occurence in Jersey history. They must be encouraged to speak widely - the opportunity is not likely to occur again.

Likewise the imminent States Inquiry must be encouraged to examine everything as widely as possible.

The defcts in Jersey policing and government affect everyone within the Island and a great many people beyond the 12 mile limit too.

Today, I am not going to enter into all this, because for me, my good friend VFC and others it is a day when I reflect on the passing of my beloved son who I love and miss so very, very much.

Whilst he is with us no longer, knowing him as well as I did, I know he would be alongside us all the way in exposing all the injustices and dishonesty we are seeing today. I am convinced however that spiritually he is looking out for us all, and I gain so much strength from that.

The wonderful friends I have made and the special people I have encountered, which all relates back to the tragedy of Neil's death always make me realise that out of bad can come good, and I have been so very fortunate.

So, rest peacefully Neil and happy fishing. Love you more than anyone will ever know.

'Thank you for the days, Those endless days, Those sacred days you gave me'xxx

Thank-you for the much needed injection of humility. I have been down to see neil's/my special place. He gives me great strength and is so badly missed by myself and family. He, and you, are a great inspiration.

Its a good interview but a shame the childish antics of your fellow bloggers are completely destroying the interest in this topic and citizens media by concentrating on personal vendettas and stupid innuendo.

Im coming up to my first Anniversary of Blogging and think its about time I was interviewed. I have always posted under my name and shown the feudal barons no fear. I think as a member of Team Voice I should get in front of the camera and explain why I blog the reasons for blogging plus any other questions your readers might have.

I have concentrated on the Child Abuse cover up and the shambolic illegal treatment of Graham Power and Lenny Harper for exposing child abuse.

"Its a good interview but a shame the childish antics of your fellow bloggers are completely destroying the interest in this topic and citizens media by concentrating on personal vendettas and stupid innuendo."